Video: Apple iPad Installed In Toyota Tacoma Dashboard

We knew it was only a matter of time until someone managed to trick out their ride with a custom iPad installation -- and in this case, "matter of time" meant less than a week. The tuners at SoundMan Car Audio in Santa Clarita, California have already popped one of the first-gen devices into the dashboard of a Toyota Tacoma, and they've also posted a video to show how it was done.

Given the iPad's size (roughly 9.5" x 8.5"), creating a permanent install wasn't the simplest task. Making things slightly trickier: SoundMan's love of bass, meaning that the company wasn't about to let the Tacoma's owner run that iPad through some factory stereo system, much less rely on the device's less-than-stellar sound controls. SoundMan went the extra mile and installed a new sound processor, a kickin' amp, and jammed a control device into another section of the Tacoma's dashboard.

The result is pretty spectacular. Watch the video clip, though, and you'll see that it's a task not for the faint of heart. Fortunately, the dimensions of the Tacoma seem almost tailor-made for the iPad and the Audison Bit One controller, which made the installation process much smoother.

Yeah, let's see the makers on Etsy try that.

Just for the record, we should point out that we're not all iPad fans. While some on staff are eager to get their hands on Apple's newest bit of bright-and-shiny, others at TCC find the iPad patently ridiculous. But whether your a gadget-loving magpie or a wait-and-see type who's annoyed by this new category of must-have device, you've got to admit: the install looks pretty damn cool. Yes, it's potentially a major distraction for drivers, but it's bound to impress riders -- and isn't that what gadget-lovers crave?